Commander Fury

We have a huge September lineup, so let’s jump right into your free games for September! First up we have Destiny 2! As a special treat, the game is available on PS Plus today – a week early – so that you can take advantage of the 24 hour free trial of Destiny 2: Forsaken’s new hybrid PVE & PVP mode, Gambit, which starts September 1 at 10 AM PDT*. That’s right, you can get Destiny 2 right now! Rally your friends in Gambit and prepare for Destiny 2: Forsaken**. Also this month, we have God of War III Remastered. Play as Kratos as he rises from the darkest depths of Hades to scale the very heights of Mount Olympus to seek vengeance. Armed with double-chained blades and an array of other weapons and magic, Kratos must take on mythology’s deadliest creatures while solving intricate puzzles throughout his merciless quest to destroy Olympus. God of War III: Remastered will be available to download beginning September 4. This month’s PlayStation Plus lineup also includes: Another World – 20th Anniversary Edition, PS3 (Cross Buy with PS4 & Vita) QUBE Director’s Cut, PS3 (Cross Buy with PS4) Sparkle 2, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS3 & PS4) Foul Play, PS Vita (Cross Buy with PS4) As a reminder, PlayLink and PlayStation VR bonus games are available for download as part of your PS Plus membership! In Here They Lie for PlayStation VR, explore a nightmarish city inhabited by strange, malevolent creatures in this first-person horror game, where unsettling encounters and environments come to life. Here they Lie is available for PS Plus members through October 2. In Knowledge is Power, a PlayLink title, this party game is sure to entertain as you outsmart your opponents with a massive variety of trivia questions and tactical challenges. Be sure to have a compatible mobile device and companion app and you’ll be all ready to play! Knowledge is Power is available through November 6. And there you have it. Another huge month for PS Plus. See you next time! *Copy of Destiny 2 required and copy of Destiny 2: Forsaken not required for 24 hour free trial. **Destiny 2 game, Destiny 2 Expansions I & II, and Destiny 2: Forsaken required to play Destiny 2: Forsaken, sold separately. View the full article

Hey everyone! Today we are happy to announce our official release date for The Forest: November 6. The Forest casts you as a father looking for his missing son after you both survive a passenger plane crash. You’ll have to find food and water, and as night approaches build a fire and shelter to keep warm. Although tranquil at first, you soon find there is something sinister lurking in the trees. Complete Freedom Our game encourages creativity. The game doesn’t tell you what to do, so everyone will experience their own version of the story. We try to give players as many options as possible and it’s been surprising for us how different individual playthroughs can be. Some players will focus on combat and exploration, whilst others will focus on building the most insane base possible. Interactions We wanted to make a game that was almost fully interactable, where you would be able to chop down every tree or bush, pick berries and mushrooms for food or hunt animals and use their skin as armor. Our crafting system allows players to use items from the world to create new resources for survival. For example, make a spear out of sticks and then use it to catch fish, or smash open some suitcases, find some cloth and booze and combine them to make a Molotov cocktail. The game also has an in-depth building system, where you can either choose pre-constructed buildings for your base, or be let loose with custom building options allowing you to make almost anything you can think of. Want to build a tree house connected by ziplines? Or a raft to try and survive at sea? Both are possible. Feel like an ocean side fortress surrounded by traps will be the best way to survive? You can also do that. We wanted to build a world that was scary and dangerous, then give players the choices for how to best survive. Survival and Combat As you’re not alone in The Forest, you’ll need to craft basic weapons to try and survive. Passive players can use stealth to evade most enemies by hiding in bushes, or even play the game in peaceful mode if you just want to focus on building and survival. The game’s enemies initially appear relatively human-like, but over time more distorted and disturbing creatures will begin to appear from within the depths of the cave system hidden beneath the surface. Our building system also allows dead enemies to be used in construction. Mount a head on a wall as a trophy, build a fence of out bones, or get creative and build a sculpture out of cut off limbs and then set it all on fire. Caves We wanted to create a real sense of fear and claustrophobia in our cave systems. As you explore the world underneath The Forest, you’ll find some of the game’s most terrifying creatures, along with some of the games best modern weapons and tools. Want a chainsaw to make chopping trees faster? You’re going to have to delve deep below to find it. Multiplayer Co-op We originally focused on the game as a single-player-only experience, but fans of the game encouraged us to implement a multiplayer mode. Set out as up to four dads on a horror adventure to find your missing kid. Join together with friends to build, swim, or mess around with turtle-shell sledding in the snow. We now feel multiplayer is the best way to experience The Forest, playing with up to three other friends for the ultimate survival horror experience. The Forest launches on November 6, and will also be playable at PAX West this weekend. Come check it out. View the full article

April 2018 marked an exciting milestone for Sony PlayStation; the extraordinary return of one of our all-time favorite video game characters, Kratos. With the aid of his aspirant son, Atreus, the God of War took us on an unforgettable journey that would make setting down our DualShock 4 controllers nearly impossible. If you played the game, you’d likely agree that the story is exceptionally rich and remarkably detailed. So much so that not everything made it into the game! Luckily for us, there’s a new God of War novel that imparts a deeper impression of this epic saga. Santa Monica Studio shared with us their interview of author J.M. Barlog on his motivation for writing the book: What drew you to write the new God of War novel? Having worked as a story consultant on God of War II with Cory and Dave Jaffe, I got the wonderful opportunity to not only work with my son, but also delve deeper into the Kratos character and the emerging storyline. As it turned out, Cory won a BAFTA award for God of War II so for me, it was a no-brainer to take on the latest God of War novel. His story fascinated me far beyond the gameplay and the journey. It offered a rare opportunity to plunge deep into the inner psyche and conflicts of a father/son relationship during a violent era. In all facets of life, it’s the human relationships that challenge us the most. Understanding people is paramount to understanding life. What might readers expect from the novel over the game? I chose to dissect the father/son relationship for these complex characters to an extent that goes well beyond the game. Additionally, Freya emerged as a particularly fascinating character to the story, one that allows readers to appreciate the nuances of character not obvious to the gamer during gameplay. Did you inject any part of you into the novel? All writers, either consciously or unconsciously, reveal glimpses into their psyches through their writing. God of War offered me a unique opportunity to combine the insights into my mind with glances into Cory’s mind as a young child growing up. The book is available now on Amazon in both physical and audio formats. In addition, a bonus for God of War fans: the audiobook is narrated by Alastair Duncan who voices Mimir in the game! Marvel’s Spider-Man Vinyl Record Pre-Order Available Now! Have you ever found yourself in a moment where you were overrun by emotion by simply being in the right place at the right time? Imagine growing up a Spidey fan and then one day finding yourself watching a recording session of the prodigious soundtrack from the upcoming game, Marvel’s Spider-Man. I was incredibly fortunate to have that moment. What was the experience like? In a word… Amazing! Pun intended. The music was nothing less than moving. I stood there absolutely motionless like a submitted fly trapped in web. If you’re a Marvel fan, you’re going to want to snare this vinyl. Get yours before they’re gone! Available for pre-order online now on Mondo’s website! Gear Glimpse – PAX West That’s right, PlayStation fans! We’re coming to PAX West for the first time ever! Here’s a sneak peek at fan-favorite PlayStation Gear that will be available for purchase* at PAX West 2018. If you’re able to attend the show, be sure to visit the store on Level 4, Booth #217 near the Skybridge. Show Hours Friday, August 31 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Saturday, September 1 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Sunday, September 2 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM Monday, September 3 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM *Credit cards only. No cash. All sales final. No returns, exchanges, or refunds. While supplies last. Product subject to change. Gear Fan of the Month: Joel “J-Tight” Alexander #GearCommsFan Joel demonstrates how to level up home decor by adding an abundance of PlayStation merchandise. I don’t know about you, but I’m definitely borrowing decorating ideas from J-Tight! Would you like to be featured as a Gear Fan of the Month? If so, get those cameras ready, rock your PlayStation Gear (only PlayStation merchandise in the pic please), and snap away! Post your photos on social media using hashtag #GearCommsFan for your chance to be included in an upcoming Gear Comms Issue! View the full article

I am excited to announce that PS Vue users in select markets will gain access to local broadcast stations at no extra cost, starting today. With this expansion, PS Vue now offers more than 450 local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC stations, in cities all over the US – from Buffalo, NY, to Honolulu, HI. As we gear up for football season and Fall TV premieres, now over 94% of the US population has access to at least one major broadcast station from ABC, CBS, FOX, and/ or NBC. For a full list of the newly launched stations, please visit us at www.psvue.com/channeladditions. PS Vue users everywhere can continue to enjoy their favorite features, including an industry-leading five simultaneous streams, powerful cloud-based DVR, and unique features, such as multi-view on PS4 and live scores – all at no extra cost. We hope our users continue to enjoy PlayStation Vue, now with over 450 local stations – and more on the way. Stay tuned for updates at www.psvue.com. We thank you for your continued support. View the full article

Hi Sony players! I’m Michael Chu, the lead writer for Overwatch! In honor of the release of our new Overwatch animated short, “Shooting Star,” which centers around D.Va, I’m answering a few frequent questions about our favorite mech pilot! Why do you think D.Va is on top of a lot of fan popularity polls? Lots of reasons! D.Va’s a gamer like all of us. She has a great visual design (including her mech) and fun gameplay. Her strength, attitude, and personality make her an appealing character who also occupies an interesting part of the Overwatch universe that we’re excited to continue to explore. How did she go from playing professional esports to piloting a mech on the battlefield? Since the end of the Omnic Crisis, the Mobile Exo-Force of the Korean Army (MEKA) has defended Korea against attacks by a massive omnic colossus (known as the “gwishin”) that rises from the sea from time to time. Originally, they utilized drone mechs, but MEKA were forced to turn to human pilots once the gwishin evolved to disrupt their networked control systems. MEKA turned to one of Korea’s greatest resources: the pro gamers (in addition to standouts from other fields with similar talents) who had the necessary reflexes and skills to operate the mechs. And that’s where Hana Song came into the picture. Will she ever join Overwatch? Is she the new generation of Heroes that Winston and Tracer talk about? Time will tell if D.Va joins up with Overwatch, but she is definitely part of the new generation of heroes, alongside others like Lúcio, Brigitte, and Mei. How did you come up with D.Va’s character design? We knew we wanted to make a hero that piloted a mech. We went through a lot of iteration on how exactly the gameplay between the pilot and the mech played out, but it was always a constant we wanted to have both. Eventually we settled on a pilot that would fight inside the mech, and then eject and fight on the battlefield as an unprotected pilot. Our Assistant Art Director, Arnold Tsang, took inspiration from mech anime and manga for her visual look. One thing I’m often asked is where the bunny motif came from. Originally, D.Va had more of a cat theme, but after we gave her the Boosters ability (which enables her to fly around) we thought about theming the whole package as a bunny hop. Here’s a burning question from fans around the world: Where do all the extra mechs come from?! The MEKA base in Busan. Dae-hyun (D.Va’s mechanic) and Myung (her commanding officer) would really like everyone to take it easy on those Self-Destructs though. The budgets get scary quickly! Who is Hana Song? What is her connection to the heroes of Overwatch? Hana Song is a world champion esports star who was recruited by MEKA to be one of their new squad of pilots. Her immense talent, fast reflexes, and natural skills made her an ideal candidate. Growing up in the shadow of the gwishin, she felt the responsibility to serve and protect her homeland. She wanted to do her part to defend her country, but also to test her abilities in a new arena. (Not to mention proving that she was the best of her other extremely talented squadmates.) Having conquered the landscape of esports, D.Va is looking to prove herself where the stakes are immeasurably higher. While the five main pilots of MEKA are all standouts in their own right, Hana is unquestionably the star. Does she care about Overwatch and its mission or is it more about national pride for her? Korea is actually more pro-Overwatch than most countries, in part because the threat of omnic war is ever present to them (and they never suffered a big falling out with Overwatch like Russia). But at the moment, D.Va is more focused on protecting her country than the situation for the whole world. How impactful was creating the Busan map and was D.Va’s kit a focal point in its design? The team was extremely excited to do a map in Korea, as Blizzard and Korea have always had a special relationship. In creating the Busan map, we had a number of goals: we wanted to show an Overwatch vision of future Korea (complete with karaoke, video games, and PC bangs), we wanted to show the home of D.Va and of MEKA, and we wanted it all to feel authentic and appropriate. We even went as far as to record audio from Busan for some of the sound effects in the level. Does she have ties to any of the other characters in the game? Though she sometimes seems like a solitary character, she’s supported by a lot of people around her. D.Va inherited her love for gaming from her father (who had been a professional gamer when he was younger). Of the MEKA personnel, she has known her mechanic, Dae-hyun (who appears in “Shooting Star”), the longest—they’ve been close friends since childhood. D.Va also has close ties to the rest of her squad, who include her former main esports rival Kyung-soo (“King”) and one of her former clanmates, tough and protective Yuna (“D.mon”). The other two members are the squad’s maknae, Seung-hwa (“Overlord”) and the flashy Jae-Eun (“Casino”, a former racing driver). Finally, there’s their commanding officer, Captain Myung (who you hear over the comms in the MEKA base part of the Busan map). What’s next for D.Va within the story of Overwatch? For now, D.Va is working to rebuild and continue to protect Korea against the gwishin omnics. They’re still very much learning how to perform at a high level as a team, and D.Va’s at the center of that effort. D.Va takes her role on the team extremely seriously, trying to help the team effectively carry out their missions and utilize everyone’s strengths to the fullest. What inspired the new Nano Cola skin? What’s the story around its creation? Back when we were getting ready to release Overwatch, we made an ad that featured D.Va as a spokesperson for “Nano Cola.” When we were looking at something in “Shooting Star” to highlight her status in the country, we decided to bring it to life. To celebrate the new animated short, we’re kicking off D.Va’s Nano Cola Challenge running from today until September 10, where you can unlock the Nano D.Va skin and other D.Va-themed rewards. View the full article

Hover comes from specific ideas and intentions from the three of us at Fusty Games: we wanted a violence-free game, without guns or fights that would not just be a sport simulation. We came up with a parkour game in which you join the Rebellion to deride the security forces of an anti-leisure tyranny. It’s difficult to sum up a four-year project in just a couple of paragraphs, but I’ll do my best! In Hover, movement is everything! We have put an emphasis on the free-running mechanics of the game to ensure that every jump, wall-jump and grind feels unrestricted. We made sure to keep in mind the arcade style of gameplay that the Dreamcast-PS2 era brought (6th generation) for which we have always been nostalgic about. We know we are just scratching the surface of what a parkour game can be, but we are quite satisfied with what we have produced and are proud to bring it to PS4. It was inconceivable for us not to provide you a credible & exciting environment to parkour in. Therefore, we have created a vertiginous floor-based place: Hover City, a cartoony futuristic city, parkourable from the sewers to the top of the skyscrapers to give the player a true sense of liberty. We have built Hover’s online multiplayer with one goal in mind: take away all the burden, lobbies, queues and server searches. In Hover, everything is instantaneous. You can play like you would in solo in the online mode and you will be automatically connected with other players closer to what a MMO would offer. We are also very happy to announce that Hover will have a online crossplay multiplayer PC and PS4. Working on Hover has been a great challenge! From the Kickstarter to our upcoming release, the gaming community has shown kindness and interest throughout the development of the game, and that has been overwhelming. We can’t wait to bring Hover to the PlayStation community on September 18. In the meantime we thank all of our supporters and backers for their ongoing support and patience. View the full article

Tomorrow, the latest free content drop for GT Sport goes live for all players, and today we’re thrilled to detail exactly what you can expect. In addition to the selection of iconic vehicles within Brand Central, drivers will be able to test their skills on our latest track addition – the blistering Red Bull Ring. You’ll find all the details below, and as always, stay tuned to PlayStation Blog for the latest GT news and updates. New Vehicles Rolling into Brand Central are eight stunning new vehicles, including legends of motor racing history like the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé and Ford Mark IV Race Car. Ford Mark IV Race Car ’67 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupé ‘64 Amuse S2000 GT1 Turbo Abarth 500 ‘09 Abarth 1500 Biposto Bertone B.A.T 1 ‘52 Volkswagen 1200 ‘66 Mini-Cooper ‘S’ ‘65 Lancia DELTA HF Integrale Evoluzione ‘91 New Track – Red Bull Ring Located in the stunning landscape of Styria, Austria, the Red Bull Ring is an intense high-speed circuit combining tight corners and long flat-out straights. While the course layout appears simple, its hilly topography makes it far more challenging than it initially seems. The full track as well as a short version has been included, and both are playable in reverse. GT League New to the ever-expanding collection of GT League Events, we’ve introduced three additional challenges for drivers of all experience levels, including: Beetle & Samba Bus Festa – Beginner League Group 3 Cup – Amateur League Nostalgic 1979 – Professional League Additional Updates In Sport Mode, players can now view an “Archive” of previous championship rankings, as well as measure and test their network quality. Players can also now explore the Zagato Museum, and in Scapes Mode, a special section on Cuba has been added. Finally, last month’s scenic Saint-Croix circuit has been added to the Circuit Experience. Remember: You can find all the latest info on upcoming GT Sport content here at PlayStation.Blog or at the official Gran Turismo website. Until next time, drivers, we’ll see you out on the track. View the full article

Hey everyone, After spending over three years working on Marvel’s Spider-Man, it’s a thrill that the game is launching next week. We hope you’ve got you pre-orders ready, and can’t wait to explore our original Spider-Man universe next Friday, September 7! Marvel’s Spider-Man brings many great surprises, story moments, and gameplay that should keep you busy. We know many of you want to know what’s next though, and so we’re thrilled to announce the release schedule for Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps DLC. The first chapter of Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps is Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Heist, and it will be released on October 23. As you play the base game, you’ll realize that Felicia Hardy, aka Black Cat, is back in town and she’s leaving clues around town to toy with Spider-Man. In Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Heist, she finally reveals herself. Featuring new missions and challenges, as well as a brand new faction of enemies and three additional suits to unlock, you won’t want to miss it. In addition, we’re also excited to share the full release calendar for the second and third installments of the Marvel’s Spider-Man: City That Never Sleeps: October 23: Marvel’s Spider-Man: The Heist November 2018: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Turf Wars December 2018: Marvel’s Spider-Man: Silver Lining Starting today at PlayStation Store you can buy all three installments of Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps for a bundle price of $24.99 USD MSRP. Each of the three installments are available for $9.99 USD MSRP each upon their respective individual release, and features new story missions, challenges, and suits. If you haven’t pre-ordered the game yet, now’s the perfect time to grab the Digital Deluxe Edition which gives you the full game PLUS all three installments of Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps for just $79.99 USD MSRP. If you pre-order the Digital Deluxe Edition, you’ll also receive the pre-order bonus content, including a one-of-a-kind physical Spidey pin. Additionally, for those of you attending PAX Prime in Seattle this weekend, Marvel’s Spider-Man will be playable in the exhibit hall so you can go hands on before the game comes out. I’ll be around, so if you see me, please do say hi! Thanks for all your support of Marvel’s Spider-Man. We cannot wait for you to play the game, and we’re working hard to bring you additional content in the form of the Marvel’s Spider-Man: The City That Never Sleeps over the rest of 2018. View the full article

Hi all, Damoun Shabestari here, Game Director of First Contact Entertainment. It’s been a long road to launch day, but it’s finally here! We’re extremely excited that you can play Firewall Zero Hour — exclusively on PS VR — starting today! Firewall Zero Hour takes place in a world where information is power and the leak of sensitive data can be used to influence world leaders, topple governments, and destabilize entire nations. One laptop full of data, falling into certain hands, can change the course of history. In Firewall Zero Hour, you’ll play as a mercenary Contractor, hired by an anonymous handler to either protect or obtain highly sensitive information found on a laptop hidden in controversial locations across the globe*. You’re hired as part of a team of four Contractors, who must attack or defend against another team of four Contractors. Whether playing on the attacking team or defending team, communication with your teammates is key to surviving in this world of intense firefights and unpredictable outcomes**. You’ll strategize with your teammates, make quick tactical choices and use an arsenal of equipment to successfully complete your Contracts. Every time you fulfill a Contract, you get paid in Crypto, which you can use to customize your Contractors. To sum it up, we made Firewall Zero Hour to be the tactical 4v4 multiplayer FPS that we always dreamed of playing in VR. It’s been a labor of love for our studio full of FPS fanatics :-) All in all, we’re beyond excited to hear the PlayStation VR community’s feedback, and eager to see all the gameplay styles, strategies, and tactics you come up with! You might be wondering what’s next for Firewall Zero Hour. While there is a vast number of things to unlock, levels to achieve, and unpredictable gameplay to be had in the game starting today, we are also focused on supporting the game post-launch with additional content. But for now, get ready for more how-to’s from the studio, regarding tips & tricks for loadouts, progression, customization, and advanced techniques. And don’t forget join the Firewall Zero Hour PSN community to meet other Contractors eager to squad up. See you in the game, Contractors! *An internet connection is required for all modes of Firewall Zero Hour, including Single Player Training Mode. **PS Plus is required for Multiplayer Training and Multiplayer Contract modes. View the full article

It has been over 17 years since Onimusha: Warlords first appeared on PS2, kicking off a beloved series that spawned sequels and spin-offs full of intense sword fights, duty-bound warriors, and demons determined to envelop the world in darkness. After selling more than two million copies worldwide on PS2, we’re proud to announce Onimusha: Warlords is coming to PS4 with a host of features that will enhance your samurai adventure! Set in feudal Japan after the perceived death of the evil lord Nobunaga Oda, Onimusha: Warlords recounts the story of the samurai Samanosuke Akechi and ninja Kaede on a mission to save Princess Yuki, following her plea for help after mysterious demons invade her castle. As the two race to her aid, they unravel a demonic plot unlike anything they have witnessed before. Fun fact! Onimusha: Warlords was originally conceived as a spin-off from the Resident Evil series that featured ninjas instead of the familiar faces we know today. It would have featured a mansion filled with booby traps, hidden pathways, and other ninja-inspired elements. Ultimately, the decision was made for Onimusha: Warlords to be a separate game, but it kept a feature in common with the earlier Resident Evil games: the fixed camera that is still present in this PS4 release. Featuring unrivaled sword-fighting gameplay, Onimusha: Warlords rewards patience in battle. Samanosuke wields his trusty katana to deal with the evil within the castle, but also gains the mystical Oni Gauntlet that allows him to harvest the souls of demons to regain health or strengthen his weapons. Going along the alternate route to the castle, Kaede utilizes a quick-but-potent arsenal to take on the demons that lie in the path between her and the princess. Updated Features For PS4 Fans of the original game will appreciate the updated features in the PS4 version. Characters, environments, and cinematics have been given a high-definition upgrade, and both the original game’s display and more modern widescreen display are supported. Changing between the two display modes can be done at any time in-game, but certain menus are fixed. A screen scroll feature has been added for widescreen display that allows players to see more of the fixed screens than ever before as the camera now scrolls up and down based on your movement. This release of Onimusha: Warlords also allows players to move using the analog stick, which should improve movement accuracy and accessibility, especially in a game that is centered around combat. This was the same treatment that Resident Evil and Resident Evil 0 had for their release on PS4. For those who still prefer using the directional inputs like in the original game, that option is also open! In the original game, Easy Mode was unlocked only after failing a specific battle a set amount of times. In this version, Easy Mode is unlocked from the start of the game for players who may find the adventure too difficult or want to enjoy the story. In Easy Mode, enemies are easier to kill and appear less often. However, you cannot change difficulty once you begin, so select wisely! We’re excited to bring Onimusha: Warlords to PS4 after the series’ popularity on PS2, so sharpen those swords and be prepared to set foot in a land of samurai and demons. There’s also a new soundtrack inspired by feudal Japan that enhances the immersion even further. Onimusha: Warlords will be released on January 15, 2019 for MSRP $19.99. In North America, you can pre-order the physical version right now while the digital version will be available at a later date. In Europe, only a digital version is available. Who’s ready to step into the shoes of a samurai? View the full article

The team here at NBA Live has been unveiling new features all summer, beginning with our cover athlete Joel Embiid. During this period, we’ve also announced our full NBA Live Squad, with each member accompanied a key moment in our campaign. The last of our reveals are highlighted below – with Create Your Court, you get the chance to customize your homecourt by flexing your creativity. Court Battles gives you a way to compete against other NBA Live fans and show them you’re the boss, and we included the details for the demo which is dropping today! Create Your Court Creativity needs to be expressed and celebrated and in NBA Live 19 you’ll be able to do just that, starting with creating your own court in the game. The steps are simple, but the possibilities are endless. First off, put your court on the map! You start off by picking a city from the thousand-plus options around the world. This can be where you’re from or anywhere random – the freedom to choose is completely yours. Next, express yourself in your designs. You can take the quicker route and choose a theme, but you’ll also have the option to fully choose from an in-depth color palette what you want to see for line colors, paint colors, and court textures. Even text on the court and logos can be modified how you want them. After working out your color scheme, pick your floor material. Go with hardwood to concrete or even asphalt – you make the call. To me, the most interesting part about all this is being able to put cool graphics like animal prints, camo prints, throwback 90’s patterns, and much more – check out the classic Seattle Supersonics’ court! But creating your court is just the first step in a big process that includes defending that court and defeating others on their courts. Court Battles Are you ready to fight for your court and legacy? Then get ready to engage in Court Battles. To put it simply, Court Battles are split into Campaigns – periods where you attack and defend courts. These campaigns are set up as specified amounts of time when you race against the clock and attack as many courts as possible. Based on the amount of courts you’re able to attack successfully, you’ll gain different rewards. Rewards range from new players for your squad to different court customization items and options, and more. As you earn more rewards and win more games in Court Battles, you’ll also get Court Hype. Hype is a system created to help continue to build your legacy – your Hype is reflected by the success you attain and can only be gained through playing the game. As you progress though, you’ll have six tiers to go through (Rookie, Pro, All-Star, Superstar, Legend, and Icon) and each contains five levels within it. More Hype can equal better rewards. But you’re not just attacking courts – people are also attacking your court, and you need to set up a defense. Really, it should be the first thing you do. Remember, though, it’s your court and your rules, which means when people attack your court, they have to play by your rules against your team (controlled by the AI), so make sure the players you select for your five are best-suited to play by the rules you set forth. We are bringing 38 different rulesets and you’ll have to choose an Attacker handicap, as well. Rules can be as specific as something like only having dunks count – pick it, and you should adjust your lineup to athletic dunkers. You can also attach an attacker handicap – something puts a restriction on the attacking team coming into your homecourt – and you can also set gameplans, which can include anything from plays to just simple things like guarding shooters or playing tight on superstars. NBA Live 19 Demo Want to get a jump on the season? You’re in luck, baller – the NBA Live 19 demo is available today! In it, there are a number of features you’ll be able to try for the first time before actually playing the full version. In the demo, you’ll be able to create a player, begin your journey across the world, and start to build your squad for global dominance. A good place to start in the demo is the Play Now mode, where you play a game with a couple of the best teams in the league right now. Or hit Practice Mode to work on your shot and other attributes by doing different drills designed to help you understand the game before you really get on your quest for greatness. Lastly, you’ll be able to put your game to the test and compete in some very specific Live Events – yes, the bragging rights are already starting! Start your path to dominance today and be sure to order the full game so you can play on September 7! View the full article

In Firewall Zero Hour, play as one of 12 contractors and work with teammates to either protect or obtain valuable data housed on a laptop and located in dangerous locations around the globe. Developed by First Contact Entertainment, Firewall Zero Hour is a 4v4 team-based tactical shooter developed exclusively for PlayStation VR and compatible with both the PS VR Aim Controller and DualShock 4 controller. For a full list of new games coming to PlayStation next week, read on. And enjoy The Drop! Bad North PS4 — Digital Bad North is a charming but brutal real-time tactics roguelite. Defend your idyllic island kingdom against a horde of Viking invaders, as you lead the desperate exodus of your people. Blade Strangers PS4 — Digital A malevolent force known only as Lina is devouring data from a vast, interdimensional network of servers overseen by sentient computers called “motes.” In desperation, the motes seek to awaken the Blade Stranger in the hopes of vanquishing Lina. Bow To Blood PS VR — Digital Take to the skies as captain of a powerful airship and discover a fantastical world of airborne gladiatorial sci-fi! Compete to become Champion of the Arena, as its inscrutable Overseers test you and fellow challengers in a fantasy reality show. Catch & Release PS VR — Digital Catch & Release places you on a beautiful mountain lake and lets you freely explore and row around while you choose your fishing spot and take in the scenery. Claybook PS4 — Digital (Out 8/31) Claybook is a unique world made entirely of clay. Every inch of the environment can be shaped and molded. Everything has matter inside it, not just an outer shell. Clay can be liquid or solid, it can be deformed and destroyed. Divinity: Original Sin 2 Definitive Edition PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 8/31) Gather your party and get ready for a fantastic adventure! Your imagination is your only limitation as you seek to restore Divinity and save the world. But beware, only one of you can become the new Divine! Donut County PS4 — Digital Donut County is a story-based physics puzzle game where you play as an ever-growing hole in the ground. Meet cute characters, steal their trash, and throw them in a hole. Downward Spiral: Horus Station PS VR — Digital Downward Spiral: Horus Station is a mysterious and atmospheric zero gravity thriller set in the lost and forgotten Horus Station. Fernz Gate PS4, PS Vita — Digital (Cross Buy) After awakening in unfamiliar woods, Alex, an ordinary high schooler living an ordinary life, learns he has somehow ended up in a fantasy world dominated by conflict and destruction. Fire Pro Wrestling World PS4 — Digital, Retail The greatest grappling game returns to take on the world on the PS4! In Fire Pro Wrestling World, customize every aspect of the match, from your wrestler to the ring itself, to fight your way to the championship belt! Firewall Zero Hour PS VR — Digital, Retail In Firewall Zero Hour, choose from one of 12 contractors hired by anonymous contract handlers and work as a team to either protect or obtain valuable data, housed on a laptop and located in dangerous locations around the globe. Gate Of Doom PS4 — Digital Gate of Doom a is classic multiplayer action RPG for one to two players. Originally released in 1990, and a noted classic arcade title from the 90s. The Golf Club 2019 Featuring PGA Tour PS4 — Digital Do you have what it takes to win the FedExCup on the PGA Tour? Compete in the all-new officially licensed PGA Tour Career mode. Play on famous courses like TPC Boston, TPC Sawgrass and more. Haunted Dungeons: Hyakki Castle PS4 — Digital (Out 8/30) Form your party of secret agents from among four races: Human, Oni, Tengu, and Nekomata. Then conquer the terrifying and mysterious Yokai-filled castle! Naruto To Boruto Shinobi Striker PS4 — Digital, Retail (Out 8/31) The Naruto series is back with a brand new experience. You can battle as a team of 4 to compete against other teams online. Lead your team and fight online to see who the best ninjas are! NBA 2K19: The Prelude PS4 — Digital (Out 8/31) NBA 2K19 continues to push limits as it brings gaming one step closer to real-life basketball excitement and culture. Download NBA 2K19: The Prelude for free and get a head start on your MyPlayer before the full game release on September 7. Pato Box PS4 — Digital Pato Box is an adventure/fighting game inspired by the “Punch-Out!!” series. It’s a surreal boxing quest with a duck! Shikhondo: Soul Eater PS4 — Digital Shikhondo: Soul Eater is a Korean bullet-hell shoot ’em up set within a beautiful and bizarre world of Asian mythology. Splash Blast Panic PS4 — Digital Splash Blast Panic is a multiplayer competitive party game where you must shoot, ram, dodge and overall bully your opponents with a variety of watergun-based weaponry. Strange Brigade PS4 — Digital, Retail Seteki the Witch Queen has risen once again, and only one troop of daring heroes can stand against her fearsome army of mummified monstrosities: The Strange Brigade! Sunless Sea: Zubmariner Edition PS4 — Digital Take the helm of your steamship and set sail for the unknown! Sunless Sea is a literary roleplaying game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death, set in the award-winning Victorian Gothic universe of Fallen London. Switchblade PS4 — Digital Fight your way up the season ranks to become a online superstar in a spectacular future-sport championship. Seamlessly switch between heavily armed high tech vehicles at any time to create endless tactical choices in a frantic 5v5 battle to claim victory. Think Of The Children PS4 — Digital (Out 8/31) Little Bobby’s dead, the BBQ is on fire, Jen’s eating poisonous berries and the birthday cake still needs icing. It’s just another wonderful day out with the kids in Think of the Children, a frantic parenting simulator for up to four players. Torn PS VR — Digital Torn is a dark science-fiction mystery. Explore the abandoned mansion filled with strange machines and disturbing experiments, belonging to an eccentric scientist missing for 64 years. Viking Days PS VR — Digital You usually see Vikings in epic battles of fury and glory, don’t you? Now find out about daily Viking life! Play through 10 different minigames to prove how much of a Viking you truly are! Yakuza Kiwami 2 PS4 — Digital, Retail Rebuilt from the ground up, Yakuza Kiwami 2 uses the Dragon Engine to update one of the series stand-out titles into a modern classic. Also new to Kiwami 2 is the ‘Majima Saga’ revealing events that occur prior to the game. Bob Marley – Kaya 40th Anniversary Blood Orange – Negro Swan Interpol – Marauder Summer of 84 Freedom Fighters – The Ray MFV Find out how it all ends. Watch the series finale of Sharp Objects this Sunday, August 26 only on HBO. PlayStation Vue has your favorite sports, news and must-watch shows. The information above is subject to change without notice. View the full article

Last week, we asked you to head back to one of our favorite PS4 titles, Uncharted 4. While taking on Nathan Drake’s greatest adventure, you shared action-packed and treasured moments using #PS4share and #PSBlog. Here are the entries that struck gold: @Kristen_Irena captured this flare-lit portrait of Nathan Drake. @CronGM captured this serene aerial shot. @Philt43_Yewone caught Nathan Drake in this gravity-defying car chase. @stateofmind7 shared Nathan caught in a stormy moment. Nathan gazes out of a cave into the starry night in this share from @kouyou_ex3. @DobbyPS4 shared Nathan overlooking this shipwrecked vista. Search #PS4Share and #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme. Want to be featured in next week’s Share of the Week? Theme: God of War – New Game+ Share by: 9am Pacific on Wednesday, August 29 Next week, we head back to Midgard to celebrate God of War’s New Game+ mode. Share your favorite moments alongside Kratos and Atreus with #PS4share and #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. View the full article

Email us at blogcast@sony.com! Subscribe via iTunes, Spotify, Google or RSS, or download here Dead Cells fever has gripped the office, and the only cure is a phone interview with Motion Twin lead designer Sébastien Bénard! We’ve also got plenty of new releases and news you can use… but only if you so choose. Stuff We Talked About Dead Cells Firewall Zero Hour The Dark Pictures Anthology Girls Make Games Life is Strange 2 God of War New Game+ The Cast Sid Shuman – Director of Social Media, SIEA Justin Massongill – Social Media Manager, SIEA Kristen Titus – Social Media Specialist, SIEA Thanks to Cory Schmitz for our beautiful logo and Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.] View the full article

The boat was a fantastically interesting feature to work on. For a long time, going as far back as God of War II, Cory wanted a boat in the game. In the previous games there wasn’t a narrative conceit to justify the addition of a playable boat. But, for this reimagined God of War, we made exploration and storytelling big pillars of our focus… and with Caldera Lake as our hub environment, it finally made sense to bring a playable boat to God of War. God of Oar The first boat prototype was basic. We placed Kratos in a seated position and turned on a boat model. Here we adjusted Kratos’ speed, friction and general movement model to start to get a feel for what it would be like control a vehicle in our game. With the initial prototype in place, we started doing a lot of research. Early on, we made the decision that Kratos would use a single paddle to propel the boat. This decision meant we had more in common with a single person canoe than other types of boats, at least for our animation reference. After watching a lot of videos of canoe paddling, we had an idea of how Kratos would animate to paddle the boat. Now was the time to capture some animations, so we built a life-size cardboard boat in one of our mocap stages. One of the challenges of a canoe-style single-paddle boat was just how many animations it required. Anytime the left stick was moved, the boat moved, and Kratos with it. This meant turns, moving forward, moving backward, and rotating in place all required individual animations. Additionally, it had to look accurate when Kratos changes the oar positioning from left to right. Depending on where Kratos is during his paddle stroke animation I set up timing windows which allowed the oar to change from side to side, and maintain the correct “phase” as it crossed back to the other side. The quality of these transitions, which respond quickly to player input, is one of the little details I’m most proud of. Right Wheel Drive Along with the visual appearance of movement, we spent a lot of time tuning the “feel.” We tried a number of different setups. For a long time, we required you to press a “gas” button to move the boat. This was interesting and allowed us to try some other gameplay features – such as a timing-based speed boost – but, ultimately it was more important that the player felt as though they could explore without any distraction. When in a boat, you’re expected to experience some inertia. For example, if Kratos paddles the boat, it should continue moving a bit based on the previous speed. We continually tuned the amount of acceleration, deceleration, and inertia. We wanted the boat to feel immediately responsive, but we also wanted the boat to have a feeling of weight. It was important that it was satisfying to get the boat to full speed and maintain that speed on open water. Turning was one of the most difficult aspects of the boat to get right. The new God of War has a strafe navigation model, which was a departure from the previous games. This was great for precision axe throwing and to support our cinematic camera, but the boat is largely about exploration, so requiring the player to move the camera to steer the boat deprived players of their ability to look at their surrounding and take in all of the details of Caldera Lake. With that in mind, we made the decision to keep all of the boat movement on the left stick. Once we had control firmly planted on the left stick, we continued to modify the turn rate. Players consistently gave feedback that the turn rate was too slow. But, when we’d increase the turn rate we would get complaints that the boat was uncontrollable. Regardless of the turn rate values we used, we continued to get this feedback. When I’m not making games I usually want to be in a car, not in LA’s notorious traffic, but in LA’s fabulous canyon roads. Occasionally, I drive on a track. When you drive on a track, often you are going to hear people say they prefer rear-wheel drive cars. One of the reasons is that an experienced driver can use the torque from the rear wheels to help steer the car. This is called oversteer. Originally the boat had its “power” coming from the center. We effectively had an “all-wheel drive” boat. We moved the “power” to originate from the rear of the boat. Now we had a “rear wheel drive” boat. Immediately, play testers not only had the perception that the turn rate was increased, but that the boat turned more predictably. They could now oversteer the boat to use its “power” to position it where they expected it to go. Snap, Kratos and No Pops The most challenging feature of the boat was getting in and out of it. It was a complicated problem to solve. So long as the player is facing the boat and the interact prompt is available, they can enter it. Because of our close camera, we always want to ensure a high level of visual fidelity and we can’t hide anything. We also didn’t want to snap or “pop” the player into a position to enter the boat. We wanted a smooth and seamless transition into the boat, regardless of the player’s entry speed or angle. To get into the boat, we ended up spending a significant amount of time on a system which would be used throughout the game whenever we needed the player to align to an object (the boat, chests, doors, etc.). This system leveraged our core navigation to guide the player along a path to their destination, always taking the shortest possible route and matching the entry speed of the upcoming move. Once we had that system implemented, the player was able to seamlessly enter the boat from any direction or speed. Getting Kratos to smoothly enter the boat at the whim of the player was one thing, but what about getting the son in the boat? Because Kratos could be entering the boat from any angle or speed, which meant his son could be as well. He may be attempting to lead Kratos to something interesting in the world, or he may be following. Because the son could be in so many different states, we had to create a system for him to reliably enter the boat. Every dock and beach has a built in area we dubbed the “son no-go-zone”. If you notice as you run up to the boat, the son will hang back a little bit. When you hit the button to enter the boat, we limit your camera rotation. This allowed us to position the son based on the angle and speed Kratos is entering and have the son enter the boat seamlessly with Kratos. I covered getting into the boat. Getting out of the boat was another big task. First, let me focus on docks. Much like entering the boat, the player can be approaching a dock from any angle or speed. As always, we want to maintain great visual fidelity while also getting you out of the boat as quickly as possible. To accomplish this took a bit of math. When you press the interact button to exit the boat, we figured out the angle and distance between the boat and the dock. From there, we chose between 10 different animations, based on how far we needed to rotate the boat and if the dock is more on your left or more on your right side. Once an animated move is selected, we use an internal technology called “motion warp” to adjust the animation, aligning the boat to the dock. Beaches were uniquely complicated as well. With the docks, we aligned the boat to a fixed point when the player pressed the interact button. With the beaches, the player can beach the boat almost anywhere the boat is pointed. To guarantee the boat is beached on the sand and not in a rock, we queried the navigation mesh. Navigation mesh, or navmesh, is what the AIs use to know where they can navigate in the world. Level designers used a navmesh generation tool to create these navigable spaces in their levels. Because we knew the navmesh tool would only generate navmesh in an area free from obstructions, we knew we could reliably use this to choose a safe beaching location. Tell Me a Story, Mimir The boat banter system got some much-appreciated praise. When Kratos finds Mimir, he becomes a great companion on the boat, regaling Kratos and Atreus with the history and lore of Midgard. But, like other systems I described, we had to ensure the player had constant control and could enter and exit the boat whenever they wanted. The banter system conditionally played back audio clips based on events which happened in the game. When these audio clips are played, they are actually many small clips all stitched together. If you stay on the boat to listen to Mimir, the audio will play as though it is one long contiguous story, but if you exit the boat, it branches to an outro which we made sure was shorter than the animation to exit the boat. This allows Mimir to pick the story right back up the next time you are in the boat. Conclusion It was an awesome responsibility to bring a boat into the God of War franchise. The boat was a massive feature made up of a lot of little details. It was an amazing team effort… made possible because of the dedication of the incredible team here at Santa Monica Studio. It’s been amazing to read the response from all of our fans, and personally gratifying to see the response to the boat. Some additional boat details: There are over 600 unique animations for the boat There are more than 750 lines of dialogue on the boat Alfheim has a unique boat, oar and light Every enter and exit animation is different when you acquire Mimir On docks the boat knows if it’s on the left or right side and the enter/exit animations adjust accordingly The DualShock 4 LED changes to an “aqua blue” while you are in the boat Even though it stays in the boat, the oar is considered a weapon pickup in the game engine At one point there was a bug where Kratos would be able to exit the boat holding the paddle View the full article

Get ready to finish the fight in Call of Duty: WWII‘s fourth DLC pack, Shadow War! Launching first on PS4 on August 28, Shadow War includes three Multiplayer maps, a new War Mode Mission, and the epic conclusion to the game’s thrilling Nazi Zombies storyline. “Thematically for this pack, we wanted to push the fiction as far as we could, have a lot of fun with it, and give the player a sense of creativity as they play,” said Matt Abbott, Lead Multiplayer Environment Artist at Sledgehammer Games. For Multiplayer, Shadow War adds Airship, Chancellery and Excavation, which all take place in major enemy locales. We know how our PlayStation Blog readers love to get an edge on the competition, so we turned to Greg Reisdorf, Multiplayer Creative Director at Sledgehammer Games, and Adam Iscove, the studio’s Multiplayer Development Director, to get some major tips for each new map. Airship Set in a secret enemy base high in the Alps, Airship takes the battle to new heights. Fight for control of the docked zeppelin, or take your chances running along a treacherous cliff, where one slip up can lead to an unfortunate trip down the mountain that will end in a respawn. “I like trying to control the blimp,” Reisdorf said. “But if you notice your opponent is kind of owning the airship, there’s a couple of sneaky vantage points you can utilize that are from either spawn.” Chancellery The enemy forces have taken hold of a French Chancellery, but they won’t expect a chaotic firefight in the middle of the night. Wrest control of the stronghold’s main courtyard, while covering your team from the flanking pathways to the map’s main area for this epic night-time brawl behind enemy lines. “It’s all about the windows,” Reisdorf said. “Being able to hold those two buildings across the courtyard is a lot of fun if you can get up there with a buddy, or plant a deployable, to watch your back.” “And you can get in those trucks in the courtyard too,” Iscove added. “There are always people who will run to the courtyard, and likely not checking the backs of those trucks. So, if you’re in there, you can surprise them.” Excavation In an Algerian mine, the enemy stockpiled priceless art and gold from their European conquests. The battle will ensue around these pillaged goods, the dunes of a tank graveyard, and rock outcroppings scattered around the map. “There is hole in the middle of the map where you drop onto this pile of gold coins and valuable fine art,” Iscove said. “There’s always somebody either coming or going that way, so it’s a fun place to drop in and surprise people, or crouch and wait for them to come down.” Operation Arcane On top of these Multiplayer experiences, there is also Operation Arcane, a new War Mode Mission that will take players deep within a secret enemy research facility in the Austrian mountains. Allied Forces players will be tasked with infiltrating this lab, stealing enemy secrets and schematics and finally destroying whatever classified technology remains in a hanger full of UFOs. Of course, being that it is a research facility, there are a few clandestine weapons, such as the Tesla Gun, and mysterious super soldier serums that players can use to help turn the tide of battle. “There’s one serum where you get a sword and you have five times your normal health,” Greg said. “As a team, we had a lot of fun with these, because we’ve had tons of concepts and ideas throughout development, and together with the team at Raven, we wanted to go all out with it and see what we could do.” The Frozen Dawn Shadow War also includes Frozen Dawn, the final chapter to the epic Call of Duty: WWII Nazi Zombies story. In this experience, we rejoin Marie, Drostan, Olivia and Jefferson as they try to stop an incredible evil once and for all. Acquiring the Sword of Barbarossa has not put an end to the undead threat. A darker and more powerful threat lurks in the depths of Thule. In the unfathomable depths of a lost city, our heroes are humanity’s last hope of ending the cult of Thule. Luckily, they will have a few secret weapons to help put the ancient rulers of the world to rest. “Our players are going to be able to get their hands on some of the most powerful weapons in the history of wonder weapons,” said Cameron Dayton, Creative Director at Sledgehammer Games. “We’ve got an array of melee weapons that are going to completely transform gameplay.” Throughout the game’s Nazi Zombies mode, there are still secrets which have yet to be uncovered. “In fact, there are several, even in the existing maps, that have yet to be cracked open,” Dayton revealed. Party Up Map Access Not only will Season Pass and Shadow War owners enjoy all this new content, but those who don’t own Shadow War can party up with Season Pass owners and join in on the fun for free from August 28 to October 28. Season Pass owners simply create an in-game Party, act as Party leader, invite friends who do not own Season Pass or Shadow War, and fight together across the brand-new Shadow War Multiplayer maps and War Mode mission. Season Pass is on currently on sale through August 28 at PlayStation Store! Whether you already have the Season Pass, are deciding to pick up the DLC pack when it drops or are ready to Party Up with a good friend, we hope you enjoy the Shadow War when it comes out first on August 28 on PS4! *Party Up feature access will end on or before Oct. 28, 2018 and may be discontinued in Activision’s discretion. Season Pass owner must be Party leader to enable feature. View the full article

Simple. Easy to program. Compact. We’re happy to bring you the new Cloud Remote for PS4 through our continued partnership with PlayStation. What makes it so great? Let’s dive right in! The Cloud Remote for PS4 programs your remote for you. Programming the remote is straightforward with the downloadable PDP Cloud Remote App, which uses advanced Cloud technology to auto-detect devices connected to the PS4 for hassle-free remote programming. It’s super easy. The compact design of the Cloud Remote makes it simple to find the button you’re looking for—and you can reach all essential controls under one thumb! It has everything you need and nothing you don’t. Here are a few more benefits to the brand new Cloud Remote for PS4: Includes controls for power, input, and volume for TVs Hassle-free Cloud-assisted technology for programming remote Connects via Bluetooth to control your PS4 system Access all essential controls under one thumb with a sleek and compact design Features the most important buttons for navigating system menus and apps As an added bonus, gamers get a 30-day free trial of the PlayStation Vue Core plan worth $49.99 with the purchase of the Cloud Remote at GameStop or Amazon*—offering 65 channels of live TV from top networks like ESPN, FX, AMC, Cartoon Network, NFL Network & MLB Network! The Cloud Remote for PS4 is officially licensed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and will be available for an MSRP of $29.99. You can pre-order now at PDP’s website, as well as at GameStop and Amazon. For additional product information, please visit www.pdp.com/cloud-remote. (*Offer available while supplies last. Offer valid for new users only.) View the full article

One of the most exciting features coming to FIFA 19 is the refreshed Kick-Off mode, which brings a host of new match options and more variety to the local multiplayer experience. Many of these match types that can be selected in Kick-Off are only concerned with visuals and number of matches (UEFA Champions League, Best Of Series, Home & Away, Cup Finals), but there is one that adds a higher level of intrigue, the unique House Rules. A lot has been made about the No Rules match type (that falls under House Rules), in which there are no fouls, bookings, or offside calls, but possibly more interesting is Survival Mode. Matches in this mode begin like any other match—until somebody scores. Every time a team scores, a random player from the scoring team is removed from the pitch (excluding goalkeepers). In accordance with official FIFA rules, matches are abandoned when either team has fewer than seven players on the pitch. So even though this match will go a normal 90+ minutes under regular conditions, if a player scores five goals (and thus loses five players), the match is over and the player with the most goals wins. This match type provides a wrinkle that can completely change how players approach a match. Does going down a player while up a goal even things out, or will skilled FIFA players find a way to adapt? Will it be more advantageous to score early or late in a Survival Mode match? Watching how players develop strategies for this mode will be fascinating, and it should make for some of the most intense local FIFA matches in the history of the game. Pre-order FIFA 19 for PS4 to get early access and more before the game launches worldwide on September 28. View the full article

Have you ever dreamt of stepping into your own episode of Black Mirror or the Twilight Zone? Meet Torn for PS VR. Torn is a dark science-fiction mystery created by Aspyr Media. During pre-production, Aspyr brought in industry veteran Susan O’Connor (BioShock, Tomb Raider) as the Lead Writer to develop the dark journey through the mansion. And with O’Connor’s experience in fascinating and strange narratives, the early Torn script felt like an episodic screening from Black Mirror. “The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror were huge influences for this story,” O’Connor says. “Both shows are such a strange mix of horror and sci-fi and drama. And both shows do such a great job of finding the monsters hiding in the shadows of everyday life, like watching our nightmares playing out in the real world.” The atmosphere of Torn doesn’t end at the narrative, though. The whimsical world of Torn is brought to life with a full orchestra, led by Garry Schyman. You may recognize him from his previous work on the BioShock and Middle-earth franchises. “Torn was fascinating to score and is one of the most interesting games I have worked on since BioShock,” Schyman recalls. “Both share a dark mystery at its core that shocks when discovered by the player and both were spectacular opportunities for a composer moved by passionate work.” Our goal was to create a virtual reality tourist destination for science fiction fans, where players could immerse themselves in a strange world with even stranger machines. The Torn mansion may be abandoned, but the doors aren’t exactly closed. As part of Totally Digital, you can pre-order Torn now to save 15% at PlayStation Store. PS Plus members save an additional 5%. See you in the mansion August 28! View the full article

Today I want to give you a look behind the creation of our new game, Brawlout. It’s a raucous party-fighting game geared toward both hardcore fighting fans as well as friends just looking to shout as they bash each other senseless, and it’s launching on PS4 today. Brawlout’s journey began four years ago with the goal of making a competitive action game that could appeal to a wide variety of people, from groups of friends wanting a fun party game, to those players looking to hone and advance their skills. While we knew we wanted a versus fighting game, like the Street Fighter series, we really needed those over-the-top crazy special moves, so we went for a less realistic approach, with the silly combat found in platform fighters. The moves design and character archetypes are based on what you’d see in games like Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. The goal was to actually feel that you’re struggling to fight, to feel the weight of your kicks. And we layered that on top of the fluent movement mechanics and knockback rules established by the platform fighter classics. Fast forward a few years and we had the good fortune of giving players their first hands-on with Brawlout at EVO 2016, and we couldn’t have asked for a better debut. There we were, side-by-side with games like Street Fighter V and Tekken 7, with some of the fighting genre’s most dedicated fans pushing Brawlout’s mechanics to their limits and having a blast. That experience was the confirmation we needed that we were heading in the right direction while also giving us a ton of valuable insight. Over the next year, we took players’ feedback to heart and began fine-tuning the gameplay and implementing new mechanics such as ledge grabs, teching and dash dancing. These sorts of techniques, while not vital to simply pummel your friends, ensure that those players seeking a more competitive experience have room to grow and improve their skills. Obviously, character design is a crucial element of a good fighting game and players want characters to which they can relate. Each of our original characters stems from a real-world culture, such as Paco the Mexican wrestler or the Hindu influences of King Apu. From there, we develop a skill set that is not only unique, but also balanced with other characters’ skills. Balancing is extremely important to us, and we’ve been honing these characters for years. Of course, we also have some other faces that you may recognize. Joining Brawlout’s roster at launch are the heroes of Hyper Light Drifter, Guacamelee!, and Yooka-Laylee, plus we recently announced the headless protagonist of Dead Cells coming this fall. It goes without saying that we’re tremendously excited to unleash our baby upon the world after four years of hard work, but for us the launch is just the beginning. Keeping players entertained is our number one priority, and we’ll be working tirelessly to bring you even more modes, characters, and tournaments as Brawlout continues to evolve in the future. View the full article

Today, we’re thrilled to announce the release of Track Lab for PlayStation VR* and show you how its intuitive systems can unlock your musical super-talents, helping you create performances to share with the world. Even for you experienced musicians out there, we know you’ll love the new perspective on creating music Track Lab provides. Basics Track Lab essentially deconstructs musical beats so they become something you can create out of simple building blocks. It isn’t meant to act as an instrument for which you use sheet music, though you can do that. It’s intended to be an improvisational tool, a fun way for you to fool around and play with musical building blocks. You create by trying things out and simply having fun. You build physical and visual structures that represent a beat, and Track Lab makes sure that what you do sounds as good as possible. Once you’ve built your beat, you get to mix it, apply effects and summon your inner DJ. Core building blocks Let’s break down how you build beats. It’s incredibly simple and intuitive once you see it in action, and only requires three elements to understand. Pulses: Every beat in Track Lab is essentially created by pulses of light traveling through a grid and hitting musical samples. Every time a pulse hits the sample, the sound gets played. Shaping the path of these pulses and the placement of the samples is what creates the beat. Samples are the notes and beats you’ll use to create musical compositions, as simple building blocks to be stacked, lined up or placed in patterns. The interaction between the samples and the pulses is literally your music. There are almost 2,500 samples in 16 different styles to play around with. Optics aren’t about making sounds, but are building blocks that allow you to manipulate the pulse itself by splitting, diverting or blocking it. With the optics you can go from a simple loop to a complex multi-layered composition. There are optics for blocking or alternating pulses and even logic gates that lead to intricate arrangements. Game mode: Evolver Evolver mode is where we mix gaming and music creation using the core concepts of Track Lab. Evolver is intended to be fun but also teach you to think in musical structures. Filling in and completing beats through the use of Track Lab’s core building blocks helps you understand optics, pulses and samples. These are combined into puzzles for you to solve. Each time you solve a puzzle, you unlock the track that you were working on. You can then use the track to play around at the mixing station which allows you to mix, crossfade and apply sizzling sound effects to Track Lab tracks. Game mode: Creation Creation mode is the heart of Track Lab. This is where the training wheels come off and you go from player to musician. Discover 16 different styles ranging from Hip Hop to Dubstep, Hardstyle to Chiptune and even Metal and Rock – with each style offering multiple instruments. In Creation Mode you will use all the mechanics learned in Evolver Mode to create your own awesome songs, and you’ll have the full range of Optics available to create music in the grid. You can use different types of pulse spawners that emit faster or slower pulses, you can split and divert those pulses to form more loops that get triggered at the right time, and you can use the gate and toggle optics to bring logic elements to your track. Once you’re happy with your composition, add it to the mixing station and start mixing it with other creations. You will also have access to FX-Orbs to add professional effects to help you create the perfect live set. Effects Experiment in creation mode and you’ll be building beats in no time at all. Start off with a simple loop and keep building and adding until it sounds right to you. Track Lab is about experimentation and improvisation that results in you creating incredible, show-stopping tunes. So, what are you waiting for? Try it yourself, start building beats and share your musical masterpieces with the world! Track Lab is available now for PS VR at PlayStation Store. *PlayStation VR is not for use by children under age 12. PS4 system, PlayStation VR and PlayStation Camera are required to experience VR functionality. PlayStation Move motion controllers are required. View the full article

Since her debut in SoulCalibur III, Tira has become a fan favorite in the series. We’ve been paying close attention to the fans and know many of you were waiting for this announcement. That’s right — Tira will return in SoulCalibur VI when it launches on PS4 October 19! Tira’s weapon is vastly different from any other in the SoulCalibur series. The Ring Blade is best described as a razor-sharp wheel of death. This weapon is extremely dangerous to wield, but enables terrifyingly fast and deadly combos. A merciless combatant, Tira was raised by an assassins’ organization, the Bird of Passage. Due to her upbringing, she is well-versed in the art of murder, leaving few warriors able to stand a chance against her. Tira is available as a bonus character in the SoulCalibur VI Season Pass. Pre-order the season pass today to receive Tira on day one as well three additional playable characters and armor packs in the future. Tira will also be available for individual purchase. The tale of souls and swords, eternally retold: SoulCalibur VI arrives on PS4 October 19. Pre-orders are available now at PlayStation Store. View the full article

I’m so happy to announce that Battle Chef Brigade Deluxe will be served piping hot to your PS4 on August 28! We are incredibly proud of how we’ve improved Battle Chef Brigade for PlayStation fans. When we met so many of you at PSX, it was clear that you deserve the very best version of Battle Chef Brigade. Before we get into the fresh new Deluxe additions, here’s a recap for novice chefs. Battle Chef Brigade combines combo-based hunting with puzzle-based cooking in a hand-drawn, fantasy adventure. In the campaign, you play as Mina and Thrash, cooking your way into the Brigade while subduing Victusia’s destructive monsters. Battle Chef Brigade is a crazy chocolate burrito sushi spicy burger full of innovative, unique flavors you’ve never tried, much less together. We know you’ll love it on the first bite! New in Deluxe: Ziggy, the Undead Necromancer Ziggy is the most mysterious and possibly unsanitary chef in Battle Chef Brigade. He has a lazy streak and relies heavily on his summoned minions. His sous skeletons lead the way, with rolling pins and pans, his imps carry ingredients to the pantry, and his turret-like demons take care of any stragglers. Of course, a good Battle Chef can’t always rely on magical help and, when necessary, Ziggy knows how to take care of business. A few breakdance-style kicks and a spin or two are enough to prep any monster for the kitchen. We had an incredible time designing him and can’t wait for you to slide into battle as Ziggy. Local Multiplayer Added In a game centered on intense hunting and cooking duels, multiplayer kicks it up a notch. We drew inspiration from fighting games, brawlers, and our couch-based childhoods to make dueling your friends and enemies perfect. Wait for your opponent to kill the Dragon and then swipe its spicy steak for yourself! There’s a buffet of options and items to choose from, including quite a few new ones for Deluxe, such as Ziggy’s Grill, Bony Tongs, and Carnivorous Expertise. Side dishes We’ve added a lot more replayability and polish for Battle Chef Brigade Deluxe. Here are some of the additions: New Survival Mode: A speedy arcade mode where a death in the arena ends your run. Each win lets you pick from an assortment of items as you conquer the leaderboards. New Free Play Mode: Practice hunting in any biome and crafting the 120+ dishes. This is the place to perfect your combos and analyze each ecosystem. New Gallery: As you level up your Brigade Rank with Survival runs and bouts in the updated Daily Cook-Offs, you unlock gorgeous concept art. New maps: Enter the Darkrealm in Daily Cook-Off, Free Play, Survival, and Multiplayer! New Challenges: Ziggy gets his own pair of Break the Dishes stages. Accessibility Improvements: We’ve added color-blind options, updated fragile state art, and let you fast-forward through duel introductions. Thrash Buffs: Everyone’s favorite father of two has a much-improved Counter, better Berserk timer, and speed tweaks. Dynamic Theme for your PS4 We’ve put together a theme for you, too. A calm, cherry blossom-filled backdrop welcomes you to your entertainment hub as a soothing remix of many of the Battle Chef Brigade songs fills you with contentment. Enjoy! See you on the Daily Cook-Off leaderboards on August 28! Vive le Brigade! View the full article

Hi there, I’m Pete Samuels, CEO and Executive Producer at Supermassive Games. I am really excited to be talking to you today about The Dark Pictures Anthology – a series of stand-alone, cinematic branching horror games. The first in the series is called Man of Medan and is launching in 2019. At Supermassive, we have a passion to deliver powerful cinematic stories and we’re following on from titles like Until Dawn and The Inpatient by telling new horror stories that we expect the fans will want to play. Each game in the series will feature a brand new story, setting, and characters. The Anthology format gives us the opportunity to tap into a variety of horror sub-genres. We’ve identified 39 that we’d love to represent in the Anthology, but that would take some time! The story of Man of Medan starts off on a dive boat in the South Pacific. With a rumoured WWII wreck to find, and plenty of on-deck partying to be had, our group of 4 young Americans and their skipper Fliss get ready for what should be the trip of a lifetime…but it doesn’t go quite to plan. As the day unfolds, and a storm rolls in, they find themselves trapped on board a ghost ship. Subjected to unimaginable stress and terror, they must try to find a way to escape the ship and its sinister history. Man of Medan, like all the games in the Dark Pictures Anthology, is hugely replayable. In fact there is more branching in Man of Medan than any of our previous games. There are multiple endings and multiple scenarios based on the decisions you make in the game. Be careful though as all the playable characters can live, and any and all of them can die, depending on the choices you make. Through the protagonists eyes you will uncover the secrets of the mystery surrounding the ill-fated boat. Figuring this out can save their lives – but whether or not they all escape is up to you. Creating this project has been massively exciting for us and we can’t wait for people to start playing Man of Medan and the subsequent games in The Dark Pictures Anthology. View the full article

Hello everyone! Episode 1 of Life is Strange 2 will be releasing in just over a month on September 27 on PS4, the first of a new 5-part series. We’ve jam-packed today’s news with as many new details about the game as possible. When Dontnod first dreamt up what Life is Strange 2 could be, they felt that they should of course maintain the series’ core identity. But they also felt they had a great opportunity to surprise people, by flipping many key aspects of the game on their head. “Dontnod could have made a game that follows the first game’s footsteps, but decided to bring something new to the table.” With that in mind, we hope that you will find much of Life is Strange 2 familiar yet refreshing! Although Dontnod could have easily made a game that follows the footsteps of the first game more closely, but they have decided to bring something new to the table. The first thing you’ll notice are our two new protagonists. You will take on the role of 16-year-old Sean Diaz, who lives in Seattle with his younger brother Daniel and their father, Esteban. Sean is a typical teenager, surviving the intricacies of high school relationships while trying to fit in and “be cool,” whereas his 9-year-old brother Daniel is playful and full of imagination. When tragedy strikes, the brothers are forced to flee their home, leaving their comfortable lives behind. Now on their own, Sean and Daniel begin the long journey to their father’s hometown, Puerto Lobos in Mexico. Where the first game focused on uncovering the mysteries of small coastal town Arcadia Bay, Life is Strange 2 will feature multiple locations. Sean and Daniel have a long trek ahead of them… They will pass through different towns and states and will meet many new people along the way. The very same team at Dontnod who created the first Life is Strange have created numerous new locations and environments for you to discover and explore, while striving to keep the charm of the first games environments, characters and ambiance. A brand-new licensed soundtrack will also accompany a new, original soundtrack from Jonathan Morali, the same artist who worked alongside them for the first game. Watching (and playing a part in) relationships developing over the course of the episodes is something that fans love. While Sean and Daniel may be on the move, there are still multiple opportunities to form close bonds with other characters, and the ability to choose which friendships & relationships develop the furthest, and how. Watching how these relationships develop over the course of the game will also be made even more meaningful when difficult decisions have to be made. Nothing is ever easy, and nothing is ever the ‘correct’ decision in a Life is Strange game. The main relationship in Life is Strange 2 is the bond between the brothers. As Daniel’s older brother and caretaker on the journey, Sean will need to make decisions and show Daniel right from wrong. Just as in real life, you are a role model for someone younger and Daniel will develop based on the behaviour of Sean (you). The road is fraught with danger, especially for two adolescents out on their own, and getting by may not always mean doing the right thing… The context of your decisions has changed since the first Life is Strange, and the stakes are therefore even higher. And then there is of course… the power. Yes there is one in Life is Strange 2, but the details of it are something you will find out in due course. Episode 1 of Life is Strange 2 will release September 27 on PS4. The journey starts here, with you, so let us know which part of the game you are most excited about below! View the full article